In the summer of 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association changed the course

of college athletics for years to come by announcing that athletes will now be able to benefit
from their name, image, and likeness. Fresno State was one of the first universities in the
country to have its athletes benefit from the new NIL rules.

Haley and Hanna Cavinder have been some of the most successful college athletes
when it comes to NIL deals, and quickly became big names among the NCAA due to their social
media presence and their skills on the basketball court. They were the first athletes to sign a
deal on July 1, 2021, with Boost Mobile. Since then, they have gained more partnerships with a
variety of companies including Six Star Nutrition, Sleeper, and WWE.

Athletes from other sports share a similar sentiment about the new opportunities the new
NIL rules bring. Loribeth Wilson is a senior at Fresno State who just retired from swimming after
16 years. When Wilson first heard the news about the NCAA’s decision, she was excited that
athletes would now be able to financially benefit from the work they put into their sport.

“I think it’s gone well as athletes are much more aware of their value in other ways that
aren’t athletic, said Wilson. “It’s fun to watch athletes promote products and build their brand, I
have a few friends who have brand deals with products that are somewhat sports-related, and
all they have to do is social media posts promoting the product. It’s super cool for both the brand
and the athlete.”

Name, image and likeness are the opportunities for student-athletes to benefit from their
brandings like professional athletes in the NFL or NBA. In other words, student-athletes can
now earn money off their brand and image and start to create a business for when their
collegiate career is over.
Endorsements include paid sponsorship deals with businesses, collaborations, and
sponsored appearances. The NCAA announced on June 30, 2021, stating that the new rules
and regulations regarding college athletes' use of their image would go into effect on July 1 of
that year. One of the first deals was made with D’Eriq King. The University of Miami quarterback
received several deals the first day the new NIL era began; signing with College Hunks Hauling
Junk & Moving and Murphy Auto Group. Through his deal with College Hunks, he earned
$10,000, which can increase to $20,000 after monthly payments. As a student-athlete brand
ambassador, King will drive computer awareness and produce social media content promoting
the brand.

While many college athletes now have the opportunity to benefit from their name, image,
and likeness there is one group that has been left out — international students. Athena Clayson
is an international student from Liverpool, England. She has been on the Fresno State swim
team for three years and plans to retire after this season. Clayson is unable to benefit from NIL
due to her visa status; which she feels is an unfortunate circumstance.
 “I cannot benefit from the new NIL rules since I am an international and it would affect
my visa status here in the U.S. which is such a shame,” said Clayson. “I only learned of this
recently and was not aware when the rules first got introduced, as I used to be sponsored by a
swimwear company back in the U.K. so was looking forward to continuing this deal.”

Most international students receive an F-1 student visa through their school, sponsored
by the university they are attending. This makes the school responsible for an athlete's
immigration compliance and gives them the ability to cancel the visa if an athlete violates F-1
eligibility rules. If an athlete works outside the parameters of their visa, it can result in a status
violation and the student's visa can be terminated. Obtaining a student visa means students are
only in the United States to study and not earn any income; if students want to earn money they
must apply for a different visa classification. As international student-athletes, they are not
permitted to engage in reimbursements or sponsorships of any kind.

Other concerns regarding the popularity of certain sports have made many athletes
question whether or not sponsorships are even possible. When inquiring about sponsorships
and brand deals, businesses tend to gravitate towards athletes from big-ticket sports that
produce major revenue such as football and basketball. For smaller sports, it is harder to
receive sponsorships due to a lack of awareness and traction.

Fresno State’s women's water polo team courtesy of Google Images.

“As an athlete who plays a sport that isn’t very well known it’s a lot harder for us,” said
Yesenia Preciado, a women’s water polo player who is finishing her last season. “Companies
want athletes from sports that are visible that are gonna make their money.”

According to Opendorse, the top three spots with the highest-earning NIL deals are
football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball; and account for 84% of total NIL
compensation. Both men's and women's swimming and diving account for 4.2% of NIL deals.
Softball is estimated at 1.6%, baseball at 1.4%, men's track and field at 1.0%, and women's
track and field at 0.9%.

Budget Line - The reality of the new NIL rules (Scott): I will write about the opportunities and
challenges college athletes may face trying to benefit from NIL.
Mission Statement:
- I plan to write a story that highlights the positives and negatives of the new NIL rules
within the NCAA and what opportunities or challenges athletes may face. I want this
story to be based on facts as well as the perspectives/experiences of college athletes. I
want to get a wide range of interviews across a variety of sports. I want to use Haley and
Hanna Cavindar only as an example of what could happen if an athlete receives an
endorsement. I would like to get the perspective of athletes who don’t have as big of a
following and their experience trying to get deals/endorsements.
- What I know before reporting has happened: The NCAA put out a press release on June
30, 2021, announcing that athletes will have the opportunity to benefit from their name,
image, and likeness beginning July 1. Some of the most notable names who have
started to benefit from the new NIL rules are the Calendar twins, Olivia Dunne, Trey
Knox, and Lexi Sun.
- Who will I interview?: I plan on interviewing student-athletes in my classes. I hope to get
two swimmers and one water polo player. I would like to speak to athletes from less
visible/less popular sports in the realm of the NCAA to hear their perspectives. I would
like to speak to international students and learn how this decision may impact them.

Contacts:
Athena Clayson, athenaclayson@mail.fresnostate.edu
Loribeth Wilson, loribethwilson@mail.fresnostate.edu
Yesenia Preciado, yeseniapreciado@mailfresnostate.edu

Social media post:

Caption: July 1, 2021, marked the beginning of the new NIL era. The NCAA announced that
student-athletes will now be able to profit off their name, image, and likeness; receiving
compensation for brand deals and sponsorships.